May 16, 2000
Contact: Mary Struckhoff
Effective with the 2000-01 high school basketball season, 20-second time-outs have been increased to 30 seconds as determined by the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee. This change in Rule 5-12-1 results in three full and two 30-second time-outs permitted for regulation play.
"This allows teams to have the equivalent of the original four time-outs," said Richard Knox, deputy executive director of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and chairperson of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee. "After re-evaluating, we decided that 20-second time-outs weren't enough time to give meaningful instruction to the players."
An exception was added to Rule 3-3-1c regarding substitution during multiple free-throw personal fouls. When a player is required by rule to be replaced (disqualification, injury, bleeding) prior to the free throw(s) being taken, then all other substitutes who have legally reported may also enter the game.
"It didn't make sense to let only one
person in if all the players were standing
there," Knox said. "This will help speed
up the game and make it more efficient."
Clarification of illegal contact on the backboard
was written into Rule 10-3-6 by stating that a
player shall not place a hand on the backboard or
ring to gain an advantage. A player also may not
intentionally slap or strike the backboard or
cause the ring to vibrate while a try or tap is in
flight, is touching the backboard, is in the
basket or in the cylinder above the basket.
The definition of a technical foul was expanded
to include both direct and indirect technical
fouls assessed to a coach with the revision of
Rule 4-19-5 d & e.
"This isn't a change in the rule but the
definitions of both fouls had to be spelled
out," Knox said.
It now states that a direct technical foul is a
situation in which a technical foul is charged to
the head coach only because of his/her actions. An
indirect technical foul is a technical foul
assessed to a head coach as a result of a bench
technical foul being assessed to team bench
personnel or a player technical foul being
assessed for dunking or grasping the ring during
pre-game warm-up or at intermission.
Emphasizing sportsmanship, an addition to Rule
2-4-5 states that prior to each contest, the head
coach shall not only verify that his/her players'
uniforms and equipment are legal and will be worn
properly, but that all participants are expected
to exhibit good sportsmanship throughout the
contest.
"It is hoped that this dialogue will encourage a trend toward better sportsmanship," said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and editor of the NFHS Basketball Rules Book. "We want to make it clear that sportsmanlike conduct is expected of all participants."
Two rules regarding clothing also have been changed. Rule 3-4-8 allows team names and/or abbreviations or players' names to be placed on the jersey. Horizontal lettering may be arched, but the first and last letters must be on the same horizontal plane and not conflict or overlap with the number on the jersey.
"We listened to the feedback that the previous rule was too restrictive, so we decided to give a little more leeway," Struckhoff said. "This addition provides manufacturers more flexibility when designing team jerseys, especially for schools with long names."
Rule 3-6 eliminates socks from the manufacturer's logo restrictions. "Socks are not a required part of the uniform and typically not school-issued," Struckhoff said. "Therefore, the rule is difficult to enforce and better if eliminated from the restrictions."
A major editorial change added a note to Rule
1-3-2, clarifying that the two-inch division line
may be a shadow line. If the floor has a logo in
the center of the court, that logo should not
distract from the visibility of the center line or
center circle.
"Many courts have a school logo or mascot in
the center of the court and want to maintain the
integrity of the design," Struckhoff said.
"A 'shadow line' permits this, while keeping
the line visible to the officials."
Points of emphasis identified by the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee for 2000-01 are: NFHS mechanics, being closely guarded by the defense, delays, palming, and intentional fouls not being called. These five areas will be given extra attention throughout the year.
Basketball ranks first among boys and girls 10
most popular programs for schools according to the
1998-99 High School Athletics Participation Survey
conducted by the NFHS. There are 16,763 schools
sponsoring boys basketball programs and 16,439
schools sponsoring girls basketball programs.
Basketball comes in second among boys with 549,499
participants while ranking first among girls with
456,873 participants.
MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce Howard or John Gillis,
317-972-6900